“Why Did I Ever,” by Mary Robison is a quirky novel that differs in many ways from what would be defined as a usual novel. It lacks the typical rising action that leads to a climax followed by falling action. Instead, the information given to the reader is presented as a constant flow of thoughts and actions from an emotionally unstable narrator. Most of all, the form of the novel is extremely unorthodox. The book is made up of 536 numbered chunks of prose that jump between numerous topics. In many cases, a choppy writing technique can lead to a novel feeling incomplete and unsatisfying, however something interesting and worthwhile is done in this novel. The form of “Why Did I Ever” not only provides a lens to view Money through, but also encourages a deeper understanding of her psychological issues, including ADD and traumatic memories, by forcing the reader’s mind to work like hers. The segmented nature of the narrative clearly is an instrument used by the author to show how fragmented Money’s mind is and the difficulties she deals with on an everyday basis. The way the story is chopped into chunks is a tool used to show the reader how Money’s mind works and how unfiltered thoughts continuously flow to her head. In addition to being an instrument in viewing Money, the form of the novel causes a great deal of confusion for the reader, especially in situations where a string of multiple sections do not relate to each other. This confusion, caused by overlapping storylines and completely unrelated passages, allows the reader to experience what Money is going through and therefore have further understanding into her situation. This makes Money a more relatable character and increases each reader’s stake in the novel. Certain sections in the novel appear to have the sole purpose to demonstrate just how much Money’s mind can wander. However, these sections are also meant to distract the reader. By forcing the reader to actively push through these distractions, the reader’s understanding of Money and how her mind works continues to grow. Section 50 has this effect when Money is driving and thinks to herself, “Here’s a sign that reads: “PORK!” Some signs aren’t there to make you happy” (p 19). Another example of these short, distracting sections is section 121, which simply reads, “Huh” (p 45). These sections clearly show just how little filtering there is going on in Money’s head and forces the reader to deal with an overload of information too. The crucial information to the plot isn’t spoon fed to the reader like in some novels. Instead, the reader must sift through all the information given to them. They must decide what can be classified as irrelevant information, but they also have to cling onto the tiniest bits of information given by Money that are actually crucial to the plot line. Common symptoms of ADD include problems with organization, racing thoughts, and excessive thoughts. The information overl